Kismet's NPC Cast List

 

 

Leaders of the Thandell Academy

From left to right are Commander Silverstrike, Commander Dragonthorne, and Commander Heavenstorm, courtesy of the PortraitWorks app (beta version)

How I First Learned to Organize NPCs

When I first started gaming, my DM took care of a lot of things in his head, but he did require a way to keep details straight later. He didn't work on the game in front of me because he didn't want to lose the element of surprise. That was good for the game overall, but it left me with very little idea of how a game could be run. From my limited point of view, it was like watching television or being at the theater: the cast was already fleshed out, the backdrop was in place, and nothing backstage was visible. I didn't know how my DM created or kept track of so many different NPCs, let alone their personalities, details, and relationships. For a while I really didn't care; I was only interested in playing and had no desire to run. One day, though, he showed me some of his methods and they left such an impression on me that I followed his basic example for a decade.

Longer Campaigns Meant More Notes

For a short-term game with few NPCs, keeping track of the cast isn't that much of a problem. I didn't intend for my first campaign to be a short one so I started keeping detailed NPC notes pretty early on. I started out with a couple dozen well-defined NPCs and the list of NPCs grew steadily. At that time, there were five player characters in my game; in each town, they met anywhere from 2 to 5 people, sometimes more. I needed not only to keep track of mechanical details like race and class, but also details of personality and sometimes plot. I also needed to know who the group had met and where, if the NPCs were still residing in the same area, and if NPCs had died. The longer our game became, the longer and more important my notes. Not only did I make a spreadsheet for myself, but I also made one for the players. I took out any information their characters didn't know and printed it out for their reference.

Ye Olde Trusty Spreadsheet

I started out creating spreadsheets on Excel and eventually moved to Google Sheets. My NPC spreadsheet recorded the basics: gender, name, and type (including, race, class, and sometimes level). My sheet also had a catch-all description field. I might record bits of physical description if it's important and if I thought I was likely to forget. I might record an age or age-range, relations to other people, or profession. I sometimes recoredd personality traits and deeds. I tried to keep my notes short and restricted to key details. I also tried to use words or phrases that jogged my memory. Some NPCs were quite easy to remember, like Jhaldrym of Calimport. Other NPCs required more detailed notes. This setup served me pretty well through different games, though I eventually moved away from spreadsheets for in-game reference.

The List Below

The NPC list below is just the first hundred of the NPCs my player characters met during the course of our main campaign. The full list stands at 525 characters. This is a good sample of the document, showing living and dead NPCs. It shows characters that I took and used from different gaming supplements, like Skelli Wildfoot of Beorunna's Well. She wasn't my original creation but I used her basic information from the Silver Marches book. The list also shows characters that I portrayed from Terry Pratchett's Discworld, since my PCs took a short trip to that universe.

Legend

* The asterisk means that the character has moved on from the area where the PCs met them, and the PCs have reasonable knowledge about the move

[unknown] This entry means that we could not recall where the NPCs were met

Entries in italics indicate that the NPC is known to be dead

 

Sex

Name

Race/Class

Description

Area Met

M

Caton Terrymont

Human

Member of WARG

[unknown]

F

Lisretha Terrymont

Human

Member of Weapons & Armor Recycling Guild

[unknown]

M

Corporal Nobby Nobbs

Human City Watchman

The rogue arm of the law

Ankh-Morpork

M

C.M.O.T. Dibbler

Human Entrepreneur

Serving the finest sausages in Ankh-Morpork

Ankh-Morpork

M

Gaspode

Talking Wonder Dog

A mangy but lovable companion

Ankh-Morpork

M

Mustrum Ridcully

Human Wizard

Archchancellor of the Unseen University

Ankh-Morpork

M

Ponder Stibbons

Human Wizard

Helped the group to locate the source of the poison taken from the Discworld by using Hex

Ankh-Morpork

M

Sergeant Fred Colon

Human City Watchman

A helping hand of the City Watch

Ankh-Morpork

M

The Librarian

Orangutan Librarian

Librarian of the Unseen University

Ankh-Morpork

F

Norcia

Human Kundala

Sharp-witted sailor and wanderer; former follower of Aseir

Baldur's Gate*

F

Skelli Wildfoot

Human Ranger

Scout, guide of Black Lion tribe

Beorunna's Well

M

Hetar

Human

Child molester, escaped prisoner

Calim Desert

M

Ssrith

Asabi

Mercenary leader

Calim Desert

F

Amra

Human

Merchant

Calimport

F

Charva

Halfling

Second wife of Jhaldrym, mother of her children and those of the other wives

Calimport

M

Daelomiel

?

Shadowmaster of Calimport

Calimport

M

Dasan

Human

Merchant

Calimport

M

Emishar

Human Wizard

In the service of the Suleiman

Calimport

F

Enmeshe

?

3 yr. old child of Suleiman [en-meh-shay]

Calimport

F

Ettana

Halfling Ranger

Desert ranger

Calimport

F

Galina

Human

Slave of Emishar

Calimport

M

Harith

Human

Shela's son, Aseir's cousin

Calimport

F

Jael

Half-Elf

Priestess of Azuth

Calimport

M

Jhaldrym

Halfling Rogue

Member of Il Carbai (The Flyers)

Calimport

M

Nari

Human

Zemser's son, Aseir's cousin

Calimport

F

Nenya

Human

Shela's daughter, Aseir's cousin

Calimport

F

Neshket

Human

Second wife of the Suleiman

Calimport

F

Phaeress

Halfling Flier

First wife of Jhaldrym, co-owner of Il-Carbai

Calimport

M

Risaan

Genasi

16 yr. old child of Suleiman

Calimport

F

Sadira

Human

Third wife of the Suleiman

Calimport

F

Shela

Human

Aseir's aunt, Senedana's sister

Calimport

F

Silmiela

Tiefling

10 yr. old child of Suleiman

Calimport

M

Suleiman

?

Sheik of Calimport

Calimport

F

Talelia

Human

Shela's daughter, Aseir's cousin

Calimport

F

Talia

Aasimar

Latest wife of the Suleiman

Calimport

M

Tephen

Human

Weapons and armor dealer

Calimport

F

Ysona

Fire Genasi Elf Courtesan

Courtesan Headmistress of Calimport

Calimport

F

Zaira

Halfling Druid

Third wife of Jhaldrym, befriended by two large monstrous scorpions

Calimport

F

Zaltana

Aasimar

Daughter of the Suleiman and Talia, named for the Suleiman's dead mother

Calimport

M

Zemser

Human

Aseir's uncle, perfume and soap business

Calimport

F

Velia

Human Monk

Dark daughter of Senedana and Daelomiel

Calimport*

M

Agan

Dwarf

Thorik's brother, metalworker

Citadel Adbar

F

Beljura

Dwarf

Thorik's mother

Citadel Adbar

F

Emra

Dwarf

Agan's wife

Citadel Adbar

M

Halian

Dwarf

Captain of Citadel Adbar

Citadel Adbar

M

Yiram

Dwarf

Lock and model maker

Citadel Adbar

M

Denin Galia

Human

Thandell soldier and messenger; now working for Lance's flyer's guild

Citadel Adbar*

F

Altani

Human Druid

Red Tiger tribe; has sworn vengenace on the lycanthropes that have tainted her people

Citadel Feldbarr

F

Carrandra

Gnome Wizard

Has learned the secrets of gem magic

Citadel Feldbarr

M

Durnen Stonehallow

Dwarf Paladin of Moradin

Royal advisor in the Citadel

Citadel Feldbarr

M

Jander Starblade

Half-Elf Paladin of Lathander

Captain of the Argent Legion garrison in Citadel Feldbarr

Citadel Feldbarr

F

Mara Fleetwind

Human Barbardian/Bard

Skald for major tribe of Red Tiger barbarians; sent for help for lycanthrope problem

Citadel Feldbarr

M

Ainsley

Human

Judge

Darmshall

M

Ithan

Dwarven Cleric

Head cleric of Moradin in Darmshall

Darmshall

F

Marjora "Crazy Marge"

Human

Widow Ainsley's daughter, released prisoner

Darmshall

M

Thidus

Dwarf

Old master builder of Darmshall

Darmshall

F

Widow Ainsley

Human

Councilmember of Darmshall

Darmshall

M

Bevan

Dwarf Expert

Innkeeper, Thorik's cousin; follows Thorik

Darmshall*

F

Eliora

Dwarf Expert

Daughter of Bevan, wife & follower of Thorik

Darmshall*

M

Oren

Human Wizard

Former mage of Darmshall, now Thentia

Darmshall*

F

Cyllene Morlwick

Human Wizard

Eager to spread magic in the world

Everlund

M

Dalston Morlwick

Human Wizard

Eager to spread magic in the world

Everlund

M

Edric Karmandon

Human Fighter

Working in family's mining business

Everlund

M

Falun Karmandon

Human Fighter

Working in family's mining business

Everlund

M

Gethrad

Human Fighter

Legendary general, brother of Thalered

Everlund

F

Laera

Human

Acting ruler of Everlund

Everlund

F

Olora

Human

Merchant targetted by Aothur

Everlund

M

Thalered

Human

King of Everlund

Everlund

M

Aron

Human

Laera's brother, heir to Everlund's throne

Everlund*

F

Margat

Human Cook

Cook on the Felidae

Felidae

M

Arny

Gnome Expert

Freed slave

Felidae*

F

Chandara

Half Drow Fighter

Raised by drow, freed slave

Felidae*

F

Dacia

Human Warrior

Caravanner

Felidae*

F

Evaine

Half-Drow Wizard

Rescued slave taken to Silverymoon, given spells by Ulvenar; hooked up with Eilistraee

Felidae*

F

Klerene

Human

Former pirate

Felidae*

F

Nasya

Half Orc Fighter

From the North; was a sailor; works for Lance

Felidae*

F

Phena

Gnome Cleric of Shiallia

 

Felidae*

F

Sarelle

Half Drow Bard

Not evil, freed slave

Felidae*

F

Zelva

Human

Former pirate

Felidae*

M

Chaulssin Anuvien

Human Cleric of Chauntea

Down to earth cleric

Goldenfields

F

Pylia Lebarsini

Human Sorcerer

Formerly Anuvien; married to Jander Lebarsini

Goldenfields

F

Tealin Anuvien

Human Druid

Free spirited; candidate for marriage with Thandell or Everlund royals

Goldenfields

M

Tolgar Anuvien

Human

Head of the family

Goldenfields

M

Nolon Anuvien

Human Monk

Staying in Thandell against his family's wishes as lover of Leaping Moon

Goldenfields*

F

Old Night

Human

Old, wise leader of Herald's Holdfast

Herald's Holdfast

M

Xarim

Human

Related to Drizzt Do'Urden; can pass for human; taken to Mithral Hall; around 18 y.o.

Herald's Holdfast*

M

Dhulark

Wood Elf Ranger

From Reitheillaethor

High Forest

F

Nee'ta

Human Barbarian

Uthgardt Tree Ghost; shift leader of guards of the Grandfather Tree

High Forest

F

Para

Pixie

Rather level-headed for a fey

High Forest

M

Tathlyn

Drow Druid

Representative of Vhaeraun's drow in the High Forest

High Forest

F

Ananda

Drow Courtesan/Ranger

Sister of Triel, anti-Lolth drow reformer

High Forest*

M

Balquis

Grig

The grig with the fiddle; pie-loving fey

High Forest*

M

Belim

Grig

Pie-loving fey who helped Aseir & Lance

High Forest*

M

Qunix

Grig

Pie-loving fey who helped Aseir & Lance

High Forest*

M

Slingsby

Grig

Pie-loving fey who helped Aseir & Lance

High Forest*

M

Zywick

Grig

Pie-loving fey who helped Aseir & Lance

High Forest*

F

Fathusa Oathtrue

Dwarven Cleric Berronar Truesilver

Kept dwarves safe during Karazhuf portal incident

Karazhuf

?

Kavalas

Lantern Archon

Friendly, responds often to Thorik's summons

Karazhuf

F

Cendra

Human Commoner

Naila's mother

Loudwater

F

Naila

Child

Related to Drizzt Do'Urden; can pass for human; taken to Mithral Hall; about 12 y.o.

Loudwater*

 

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